The gym is full of introverts and extroverts, so it’s no surprise when the two can come into conflict. But it’s even deeper than that. A lot of men see the gym as a place to harass women.

See the drastic way this gym user got a creep to leave her alone.

AITA for shutting someone down when they tried to talk to me at the gym?

I don’t talk to anyone at my gym outside of saying hi and bye to the people who work there, and having polite etiquette when asking someone if they’re using something/saying thank you when they’re done. This is partially for efficiency, but mostly because I go to the gym super stone  and I’m in my zone and I don’t want to talk to anyone.

Last week, after my workout, I walked over to the food carts by my gym to pick up tacos.

Avoiding people isn’t working.

While I was there, some guy (M40+) stopped me and said he went to the same gym. I had never noticed him before but he like insisted on walking with me and was talking to me.

I was kind of annoyed. Just because you see me on the street with my headphones out doesn’t mean it’s an invitation to talk to me.

I made small talk and tried to be polite. Got out as quick as I could.

So the other day, when I’m at the gym foam rolling out with my headphones in, this guy just beelines to me while I’m trying to avoid eye contact and squats down next to me to say hi and give me a fist bump. I give him a quick heads up acknowledge him but ignore the fist bump.

I avoid eye contact the rest of the time I’m there.

So she put her foot down. Firmly.

Then today, this guy comes into the gym and sees me. I immediately avoid eye contact and he doesn’t come up to me, so I think he gets the picture. But then, when I’m doing leg lifts, he comes over and tries to give me a fist bump.

So I take out my headphone and I say “Look man, I don’t want to do this. I’m here to work out, I’m not here to make friends. I don’t want to talk to you, okay?”

He starts to say, “I was just saying hi.” And I respond with “Yeah, I get it. Please don’t.” Then I put my headphone back in and kept working out.

I realize anyone who saw this probably thought I was a giant AH. But, I don’t think someone’s need for connection overrides my need to have a good workout. So, AITA?

Here is what people are saying.

It reminds of the movie She’s All That. A challenge, not a human being.

Who cares what he thinks, anyway.

You HAVE to be firm with this type.

Directness should be more socially acceptable.

It’s more than obvious.

I hope she reported him to the manager. He likely does this a lot.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a guy who was forced to sleep on the couch at his wife’s family’s house, so he went to a hotel instead.